We've made a list, and we've checked it way more than twice. And since you, the RT readers, have been nice this year, we've got a present for you: the Best Christmas Movies countdown, our compendium of the best-reviewed seasonal entertainments of all time!
We've got everything from yuletide perennials (It's a Wonderful Life) to favorites that take place during the holiday season (Die Hard). We've got comedies, dramas, family films, and even a couple Christmas-themed war movies -- in other words, something to make any filmgoer's spirits bright.
A word or two about our process: we utilized a weighted system that factors in both Tomatometer and number of reviews, and each movie needed 20 reviews to qualify. We also omitted television specials (sorry, How the Grinch Stole Christmas) and movies in which Christmas only plays a small part, no matter how memorably (tough break, The Apartment). Without further ado, it's time to take a walk in RT's winter wonderland of cinema -- our Best Christmas Movies countdown!
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I can't believe that "Sleepless in Seatle" didn't make the list. It takes place during Christmas time more than some of the other movies on the list.
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National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. With out that this list is non-valid. Though I was surprised that Die Hard was so high, but I would have it at no. 1. Yippee-ki-yay mother*****ers.
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I'm glad A Midnight Clear made the list this has always been a underrated WWII/Holiday movie in my opinion.
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I don't often comment on RT lists because, well, it's all subjective anyways. All lists are. But good god...this is one terrible list. The Santa Clause? Are you kidding me? And many of the movies are neither Christmas themed, nor take place primarily during Christmas. Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang? Really?
I agree with the above that Christmas Vacation is criminally missing, as is the first Home Alone, which is surely better than The Santa Clause.
Good lord.
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Well, if nothing else this list provides compelling proof that the tomato meter is a deeply flawed measure of movie quality. Exhibit A : Home Alone is not on this list. Granted, the tomato meter is only around 46%, but numbers don't lie, and it is the only movie on this entire list that can be found on the inflation adjusted list of the top 50 highest grossing movies of all time. Christmas Vacation is another glaring omission. And personally, I was a big fan of Bill Murray's "Scrooged"
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I'm glad that RT agrees with me on what the best Christmas movie is. (The Nightmare Before Christmas.) But they are showing that there isn't that many good Christmas movies, by putting on non holiday orientened films. I mean most aren't going to say, "Let's watch the holiday classic, Die Hard." RT's a little off their rocker.
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Right on all three counts... and I think "It's Aw Wonderful Life" should be No. 1... but I grew up watching it every year
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By the way, "Home Alone" sucks! And so do all the "National Lampoons Vacation" films. "Die Hard" is a great film. Just not a great Christmas film. Now they should do a easy list, the Worst Christmas movies! "Deck the Halls" would top that list.
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Are you on crack? (Seriously)
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My Top Christmas movies in order.
-A Christmas story
-The santa
-It's a wonderful life
-Home alone 2
-Home Alone
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Without a doubt, One of the worst "Best Christmas Movies" list i have ever seen. Where is The Polar Express or Home Alone 1 & 2? Why is A Christmas Story not number one?
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Without a doubt, One of the worst "Best Christmas Movies" list i have ever seen. Where is The Polar Express or Home Alone 1 & 2? Why is A Christmas Story not number one?
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Let me guess, that over-rated, perennial piece of crap "A Christmas Story" is somewhere near the top of this list.
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Overrated, yes, but how can a movie in which every scene is completely memorable be a piece of crap?
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@Splitter:
The only reason anything in A Christmas Story is memorable is because of how bad it truly it is. There is not one funny moment in the entire movie, despite the movie trying just about every desperate gag it could.
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I also have problems with this list due to the abscence of Love Actually and About a Boy. Ah well we all have differing opinions.
MERRY CHRISTMAS and have a most WONDERFUL YULE TIME!
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Wow, you guys are ridiculous! You say that crap like Home Alone should be on the list, and decry Rotten Tomatoes for coming up with a Christmas list different than everyone else's. Actually, I've been waiting for a Christmas list that focused on movies that take place during Christmas and aren't just Christmas movies, because no one does that. Of course the one moment someone decides to be innovative and actually do it, everyone else has to bully them for it (everyone else being you readers out there). Stick to your other lists, and leave the ones that think outside the box to the rest of us!
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I gather that they are trying to be different, but this is suppose to be the BEST Christmas movies. This means movies that reminds you of happy Christmas memories. Even though they are amazing movies, "Kiss, Kiss Bang Bang," "Stalag 17," and another few, don't. They should have thought about this clearly.
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My top 5 are
-Die Hard
- A Christmas Story
-A Nightmare Before
Also lol every christmas eve my cousins and I watch Jingle All The Way, it is such a bad funny movie!
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I agree that making a list is subjective and trying to be different is cool. But the fact that any family will be able to instantly ID "Home Alone" and "Christmas Vacation" as classics not to mention sit down and watch them proves this list sucks. Sure A nightmare before Christmas is an amazing movie, but a true Christmas movie that everyone would sit down and watch during the holidays......not really. This is like making a list of dark gritty movies and not putting the dark knight on there.
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A bad list, and here's why. Too many movies on this list are not what I consider or deem as Christmas movies. Yes, Die Hard and Lethal Weapon are two movies I do love, but in my book they are not Christmas movies. Just because a movie is set around Christmas does not make it a Christmas movie, it is just the setting of a movie, giving it some breadth and depth for the plot. If Die Hard and Lethal Weapon weren't set around Christmas, would they have suffered because of it? No I don't think so. To me, a Christmas movie is a flick that families will watch around Christmas to probably commerate the holiday season. With that reasoning I can watch the two aforementioned movies year around and not be acknowledging much at all. I count at least 3 glaring omissions from the list, Scrooged and Christmas Vacation should have been near the bottom of the list and Home Alone should have been near the top. It's A Wonderful Life 9th???? That my friends is a sacrilege in its purest form. A Christmas Story was also a little low rated as well. To me, the top 3 should have been Story, Life, and Home Alone and not necessarily in that order.
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A bad list, and here's why. Too many movies on this list are not what I consider or deem as Christmas movies. Yes, Die Hard and Lethal Weapon are two movies I do love, but in my book they are not Christmas movies. Just because a movie is set around Christmas does not make it a Christmas movie, it is just the setting of a movie, giving it some breadth and depth for the plot. If Die Hard and Lethal Weapon weren't set around Christmas, would they have suffered because of it? No I don't think so. To me, a Christmas movie is a flick that families will watch around Christmas to probably commerate the holiday season. With that reasoning I can watch the two aforementioned movies year around and not be acknowledging much at all. I count at least 3 glaring omissions from the list, Scrooged and Christmas Vacation should have been near the bottom of the list and Home Alone should have been near the top. It's A Wonderful Life 9th???? That my friends is a sacrilege in its purest form. A Christmas Story was also a little low rated as well. To me, the top 3 should have been Story, Life, and Home Alone and not necessarily in that order.
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This is the worst list I have ever seen! Where is the 1970's Scrooge with Albert Finney? He won a Golden Globe for his performance in that role. Hey Rotten Tomatoes just because you could see christmas stuff in the background of a movie doesnt mean its a Christmas movie ok. Batman part 2 WTF what are you guys smoking over there. Make a new list and put Christmas movies that people care about on there. There is no way in hell I gather the family around Christmas time and then put in Die Hard to watch! Thats a shame you have Die Hard ahead of It's a Wonderful Life. Wheres Polar Express, Christmas Vacation, Home Alone 1 and 2....
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This is the worst list I have ever seen! Where is the 1970's Scrooge with Albert Finney? He won a Golden Globe for his performance in that role. Hey Rotten Tomatoes just because you could see christmas stuff in the background of a movie doesnt mean its a Christmas movie ok. Batman part 2 WTF what are you guys smoking over there. Make a new list and put Christmas movies that people care about on there. There is no way in hell I gather the family around Christmas time and then put in Die Hard to watch! Thats a shame you have Die Hard ahead of It's a Wonderful Life. Wheres Polar Express, Christmas Vacation, Home Alone 1 and 2....
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This is the worst list I have ever seen! Where is the 1970's Scrooge with Albert Finney? He won a Golden Globe for his performance in that role. Hey Rotten Tomatoes just because you could see christmas stuff in the background of a movie doesnt mean its a Christmas movie ok. Batman part 2 WTF what are you guys smoking over there. Make a new list and put Christmas movies that people care about on there. There is no way in hell I gather the family around Christmas time and then put in Die Hard to watch! Thats a shame you have Die Hard ahead of It's a Wonderful Life. Wheres Polar Express, Christmas Vacation, Home Alone 1 and 2....
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